The Smash is a sandwich on a mission

Reverse engineering sounds all spy-versus-spy. So when my handlers passed along a tip about The Smash, I understood my mission: dismantle, decode, rebuild. Even though I'd never met the sandwich face to open face.

I was intrigued by avocado on toast, for breakfast. I knew afternoon avocado, lounging in guacamole, and evening avocado, hustling through gazpacho. I'd noticed midmorning avocado, keeping company with huevos rancheros.

But I'd never stumbled on avocado for breakfast.

I was out of the loop. Apparently avocado toast is rampant in Australia, common in California, and spreading.

I stuck to my mission: Deconstruct The Smash from Little Collins, the New York cafe homesick for Melbourne. I met with my source (my husband), studied documents (the website) and shook down my contact (owner Leon Unglik). I came up with a recipe that might not count as 100 percent accurate. But it makes a fine start to any spy's day.